Best new car values

[pennypinch]

With all the dealer and manufacturer incentives to get out and "keep America rolling" (a term which physically nauseates me, by the way), I think it would behoove us to put together some of the better car values. Try and keep it to your own experience:

Small car: The 2002 Altima. First off, it hauls. Second, MSRP is $22,9. Nissan's repeatedly win awards for reliability and out-the-door fit and finish. I also think it looks great.

Mid-Size: Acura TL Type-S. I think you could probably get away with one with the Nav for $30 flat. It drives great, the seats are really nice, and the "option" list is unmatched. Only problem is that it looks like an Accord, but what're you gonna do?

[Burzhui]

Puhlease... it's American all the way or Euro if all esle fails.
Not that cheesy a$$ japanese crap. Frigin made of aluminum foil, can poke it through with your finger. God damn the other day i saw a friggin prelude hit a buick at about 15-20mph, front bumper to bumper, clipping the fenders ... god damn the buick will most likely need a new bumber ... not urgently, but the prelude needs a hood, a new bumper, headlight, fender, whatever was damaged inside.... the whole 9 yards

[aglio412]

bang for the buck, i like the new nissans...the altimas look really sharp...and you can get the 240hp V6...nice. also the maxima has a new engine and some slight exterior improvements...it's under 30k and should probably outperform the acura...not sure though.

[johnnymk]

30K is a good deal? How much would the monthly payments be?

[pennypinch]

Originally posted by aglio412
bang for the buck, i like the new nissans...the altimas look really sharp...and you can get the 240hp V6...nice. also the maxima has a new engine and some slight exterior improvements...it's under 30k and should probably outperform the acura...not sure though.

I'd actually heard the Maxima was given a horsepower upgrade only to keep it head of the lower-priced Altima.

Also, while the Maxima has a better weight-to-horsepower advantage (255 on a lighter chassis vs. 260 on the Acura), I'm pretty sure once you option a Maxima out, you still can't approach the Acura's option list. The sportshift alone would induce me to get one.

The Maxima isn't RWD, is it? I know the Acura is FWD, and that's a significant negative.

[aglio412]

Originally posted by pennypinch

I'd actually heard the Maxima was given a horsepower upgrade only to keep it head of the lower-priced Altima.

Also, while the Maxima has a better weight-to-horsepower advantage (255 on a lighter chassis vs. 260 on the Acura), I'm pretty sure once you option a Maxima out, you still can't approach the Acura's option list. The sportshift alone would induce me to get one.

The Maxima isn't RWD, is it? I know the Acura is FWD, and that's a significant negative.

i believe the maxima is also FWD...and you're probably right about the HP upgrade to compete with the altima. personally, i'd grab the maxima and get a 6spd...but if you're lookin sportshift, then maybe acura is a good buy for you.

[babymike]

If you're talking strictly about performance, the WRX will run circles around both of those cars. And with the pricing of the new Nissans, everything is an option. You can't get a decent Altima out the door for less than 25k. Nissan seems to be pricing themselves out of the market with all their options.

[pennypinch]

I sort of noticed that after posting this. Looking on edmunds, they don't even offer ABS/Airbags as standard. Who the hell doesn't offer ABS and airbags standard anymore?

And I was really trying not to talk about strictly performance. The driving question was supposed to be what's the most, best car for the money?

I think for the compact sports car, the WRX probably clocks in near the top in terms of value. One of my buddies leased one, and it seemed pretty well made and what not. A little cheap on the interior materials, but you can't **** with that kind of HP.

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by johnnymk
30K is a good deal? How much would the monthly payments be?

Depends on the downpayment...my guess it would be around 500 or so with 5k down.

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by pennypinch
I think for the compact sports car, the WRX probably clocks in near the top in terms of value. One of my buddies leased one, and it seemed pretty well made and what not. A little cheap on the interior materials, but you can't **** with that kind of HP.

Yeah, the WRX packs a punch...however, I wish they had spent more money on the design...its soo ugly.

[ChrisMG187]

My Dad has the 2001 3.2 TL (No type S) with nav, and the payments are something like $450 a month.

[attgig]

i think that's what makes the WRX so great...
the design is not your average japanese import....yet, under the hood, you can beat them out...

as for values...KEEP AMERICA ROLLING!!!
0% = awesome
your easily saving a few grand with that....

maxima has 20 more hp i think than previous...
altima yeah....nice engine..

I've been impressed with nissan's stuff that they've been puttin out...
but still.....0%...you're not gonna get that at your nissan dealer...

[pennypinch]

Originally posted by Jihforce


Yeah, the WRX packs a punch...however, I wish they had spent more money on the design...its soo ugly.

The back end is all 1999 Toyota Corrola. It's horrendous. The only distinctive thing is the chin spoiler and hood. Everything else is right out of the generic Japanese parts bin.

[deejay ROK]

I bought a TL type S with Nav and side skirts. I have everything on the car except a wing. I also got the 100,000 mile warranty. Out the door, 37 gran, including tax and license. 7.15% financing which was the lowest that Honda finance allows for that car. 10 gran down, payments are about 5 bills a month. 17 inch stock rims, plus fully loaded, HID lights, what more do you want, plus 260 ponies.

DJ ROK

[Nanotech9]

Originally posted by Burzhui
Puhlease... it's American all the way or Euro if all esle fails.
Not that cheesy a$$ japanese crap. Frigin made of aluminum foil, can poke it through with your finger. God damn the other day i saw a friggin prelude hit a buick at about 15-20mph, front bumper to bumper, clipping the fenders ... god damn the buick will most likely need a new bumber ... not urgently, but the prelude needs a hood, a new bumper, headlight, fender, whatever was damaged inside.... the whole 9 yards

do you understand ANYTHING about Crumple zones? the cars are designed to crumple, and apsorb energy, therefore decreasing the likely-hood of injury to the passenger. IN the big-badassed, rough-n-tough american car, the occupants recieve:

A. worse whiplash
B. harder impacts on either the steering wheel, or airbag if equipped.
C. fly through the front windshield (like my cousin in his old Chevelle)

but hey, if you onnly want to spend $99 to fix the bumper (and about $15,000 on medical bills), then buy that old american car that is super hard to break.

[babymike]

The best part of the WRX is the design from what i see. It's one thing to get burned by a big American muscle car or a riced out little import, but to get smoked by a car that looks like a corolla is hilarious. I just can't find a better deal for under 25k on the market now. With the markup on the rsx right now, you'll be paying almost 30 out the door.

[johnnymk]

So $500 a month is a good deal? That, my dear friends is $6000 a year. Add a grand or two for insurance and well, I really don't want to think about it.
If I remember reading the posts about what the Gotapex readers do for a living, many were unemployed or making just enough to buy the basics of life.
I have been making really good money for years and still wouldn't even consider paying $500 per month for any vehicle, no matter how much I liked it. But then they don't call me cheap for no reason.

[pennypinch]

Originally posted by johnnymk
So $500 a month is a good deal? That, my dear friends is $6000 a year. Add a grand or two for insurance and well, I really don't want to think about it.
If I remember reading the posts about what the Gotapex readers do for a living, many were unemployed or making just enough to buy the basics of life.
I have been making really good money for years and still wouldn't even consider paying $500 per month for any vehicle, no matter how much I liked it. But then they don't call me cheap for no reason.

I think there's a significant difference between total cost and overall value. Sure, a Ford Focus would cost a hell of a lot less. But then again, what are you paying for? I think if you run down the list of options, the perceived build quality of Acuras, the performance issues, and other assorted BS, you'll see you get more per dollar for that Acura than you do for a bare-bones Kia or something.

Cars have long ceased to be just methods of basic transportation. Safety, convenience, capability: I think they're pretty important now, given the time some people spend in their cars.

Obviously, if you can't afford it, it's never a good deal. I can.

[pennypinch]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that that $10K isn't better spent elsewhere. But I think if you total up what you get on, for instance, this Acura as opposed to, say, a loaded Maxima, you're probably going to end up around the same price, and I submit that the quality of materials on the Acura is superior. It's supposed to be, at any rate, and I found the leather and nav system, just as an example, to be superior.

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by pennypinch


I think there's a significant difference between total cost and overall value. Sure, a Ford Focus would cost a hell of a lot less. But then again, what are you paying for? I think if you run down the list of options, the perceived build quality of Acuras, the performance issues, and other assorted BS, you'll see you get more per dollar for that Acura than you do for a bare-bones Kia or something.

Cars have long ceased to be just methods of basic transportation. Safety, convenience, capability: I think they're pretty important now, given the time some people spend in their cars.

Obviously, if you can't afford it, it's never a good deal. I can.

This is insane, but I'm actually going to agree with Penny on this one.
Folks, you get what you pay for. If that makes you happy, then more power to you.

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by DarkFury


Personally, I don't think I would ever pay $500 per month for a car... Other than paying for "the name" what are you really getting for your $500 per month? Is that car "really" built THAT much better than say a $350 to $400 per month vehicle?

Depends one your down payment, if I forked out 10k down, i'd be paying like 350 a month for the same car. But I do see your point. I don't think any car consistantly has good quality regardless of the brand. I've heard horror stories about almost every single kind of car out there. It all depends on whether we get lucky what that particular car.

To compare an Acura to a Kia... well I don't think that is gonna equate. There are "several" nice cars that can be had for under $25K however are the cars that are $35K and up really that much better?

I think its comparable. We aren't talking about the class of the car, we are talking about pricing. What a $25k car will not have all the options a $35k car will. Is it that much better? That depends of your standards. If you do value having the added perks of having one-touch automatic windows on all for doors versus having it only for the driver, then yes, it is that much better. If not, well then you aren't missing much.

Hell, for that extra money, I'd rather put it into an "appreciable" asset like my house rather than a "depreciable" asset like a car. However I guess everyone has their own wants and desires, so I can't really fault anyone for that. To each his/her own.

One thing I have to say is this, money spent on a car, is money wasted. So yeah, I wouldn't spend too much on a car that depreciates too fast (Kias and such) But yeah, if money is an issue, i'd spend the last on a car and save up for a house.

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by DarkFury
Wow... you had 10K to put down! Geez... I hope most of that was "trade in value". Putting down that kind of cash is almost "ludicrous" since you probably lose about $1 - 2K as soon as you drive it off the lot.

Nah, I didn't, but my roomie did it for her Z3 and her payments were $350 a month. I put down 2500. So my monthly is around 550. It is a lease though, but I'm planning to keep it so that I don't lose all the money I have already put into it.

Well... I dunno. I've seen plenty of "good cars" in the $25K range (My T-Bird was one of them.. I paid $24K out the door with a $4K trade in on my '89 Probe and $3K cash down payment...so my payments were about $300 per month).

But if you just HAVE to have the Corinthian leather package and the custom BOSE sound system w/GPS, heated seats, and custom "lighting group w/sunroof"...then go for it! Personally, I would want upgraded "suspension and engine" packages like I had on my T-Bird.. the leather just "came along for the ride".

That's true, I would get a Jetta fully loaded and I think I'd be pretty happy with it. And that's around 25k or so. I just got my 325i because when I test drove it, I fell in love with it. I had test driven the IS300 and I wasn't all that impressed with it. So go figure. And I didn't want a TL cuz it the interior didn't impress me. Specially the instrument panel looked really cheasy. I mean, I am going to spend 100% of the time inside the car when I drive, so I want the inside to be nice. I'm all about those 'little features' that most other cars don't have.

Amen to that brotha... I kinda like getting back "one-third" of the interest that I pay on my house.. Too bad I can't get part of my car payment interest back (since they discontinued the "consumer interest" deduction on taxes back in the late eighties.)

Yeah, totally, if I knew where I would like the spend the next 10-15 years of my life, i'd probably save up and get a house. I've be nice to have a "return" on my investment, instead of having guaranteed depreciation.
You know, they should bring back cosumer interest deductions back. Otherwise, i'm going to have to start my own business and writeoff my car payments.

[Showtime]

It all depends on supply and demand.
I understand when certain cars have premiums. Vipers/prowlers and supercars but many people have been screwed over just to be the 1st one the block to own a certain car.
Take the Nissan Xterra in the mags it said you could buy one for under $18k. Very impressive but that was for a 4(i thought it only came with a 6). There was such a high demand for it that at the time you could get a higher end pathfinder for the same price ($25k). Dealers were trying to give away Pathfinders so they could make room for the new 240hp version. 18k a great deal. 25k than might as well get a pathfind(pathetic 160hp), which was a great deal.
Miatas for 30k+?!!?! WTH was that.
Odyssey, Hondas mini-van. A few commercials starring our fav Johnny C imitator and bam, 3k premium on a mini-van. This isnt taking into account that all Odysseys now came fully loaded and many had the optional 17' rims etc. 30k+ for a stinkin minivan. Note: My Aunt has one and loves it.
That Chrysler station wagon thingy that won all those mag awards. My friend placed an order and finally got a call back. There was a premium on cars coming in later thay month. He had to put money down and couldnt even get a test drive.
Car to watch: Saturn new mini-ute. Looks like a lil Acura MDX for well under 20k. Since they dont haggle and pre-set prices it'll be interesting to see if the car takes off.